BLOUNT COUNTY (WVLT) A question about the charter of Blount County's Children's Home will be the topic of the county commission in its meeting tomorrow night.
Children's Home officials say they didn't know there was a 2005 oversight of it's adoption, that is until the mayor's proposal to give up a portion of the property was rejected by their board.
The Blount County Commission is taking a look at the Children's Home charter.
Jerry Cunningham, the mayor says, "the only way that charter can be amended is with permission of the county commission."
But for some reason that didn't happen in 2005 like Children's Home officials thought.
"We filed it with the state. It was filed at the courthouse but it needed to go back before the full commission."
Children's Home officials say the mistake was found by the mayor after their board rejected an offer of the mayor's to give up some of their land for another child services agency.
Cunningham continues, "it says it's for the care of the orphans. There are no orphans down there."
The mayor is questioning if the home is following the charter's original mission.
Both sides question if it's about who has control of the land.
The county recently sold the property of it's county shop across the street for three million dollars.
Home officials say they have a deed.
The mayor says they don't.
Cunningham says, "my predecessor signed that deal. Should not have been signed without the resolution of the commission."
Without a charter, Children's home officials say it could affect services.
"We could be at risk of losing our property, our board autonomy, and resources that would allow us to continue providing these services."
Minutes from a planning commission meeting in 2005 show the children's home board sought to make the property commercial.
It also says the board wanted the rezoning to reflect it's current use.
Elmore points to an ongoing $125,000 dollar project on the property as their commitment to the property.
Save
Email
Print
0 comments
